Abstract: Administrative Core The Administrative Core contains two components: administration and senior leadership. The research, clinical care, education, and outreach components of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute?s (UPCI?s) mission are enabled by an efficient administrative infrastructure led by UPCI?s Associate Director for Research Administration, Maryann Donovan PhD, MPH, and the vision and guidance provided by UPCI?s experienced Senior Leadership, under UPCI Director, Nancy E. Davidson, MD. The specific aims of administration are to: Refine administrative processes so that they are more effective and efficient, and less burdensome to UPCI Faculty and Leadership, 2) Adopt new technologies and tools for accomplishing administrative functions, and 3) Improve communication and streamline operations to improve services for researchers, including services provided by UPCI Shared Resources. In collaboration with UPCI, University of Pittsburgh, and UPMC departments, UPCI administration performs or assists in performing essential UPCI functions that include: budget preparation and expenditure monitoring; grant, contract and philanthropic funds management; space allocation and renovation; shared equipment purchase and operational management; shared resource operational management; faculty recruitments; meeting coordination; pilot project program development and implementation; planning and evaluation activities; UPCI membership maintenance and productivity tracking; and event and funding opportunity communications. UPCI?s Senior Leadership Group includes the Cancer Center Director (Dr. Davidson), UPCI Deputy Director (Edward Chu, MD), and the Associate Directors for Basic Research (Shivendra Singh, PhD), Translational Research (Robert L. Ferris, MD, PhD), Cancer Control and Population Sciences (Jian-Min Yuan, MD, PhD), Clinical Investigation (Adam Brufsky, MD, PhD), and Research Administration (Dr. Donovan). Individually accomplished, with strong scientific and leadership achievements, they have worked together as a Senior Leadership Group since 2012. The specific aims for Senior Leadership are to: 1) Implement, continuously review, and refresh the 2014 Strategic Vision for UPCI, 2) Monitor progress at achieving the goals planned for the years 2014-2018, 3) Increase focus on translational advancement of discoveries made at UPCI, 4) Increase focus on research addressing UPCI?s catchment area, 5) Enable processes to support interaction with other Cancer Centers, and 6) Assist the Cancer Center Director in developing a vision for the years beyond 2018. During the current funding cycle Senior Leadership has developed and implemented an interactive vision-setting process for strategic planning; revised the process for oversight of Shared Resources; led, participated in, and promoted collaborative team science efforts directed at basic discovery and scientific advancement; and established new oversight committees to review and plan research that is focused on UPCI?s catchment area, and educational and training opportunities that strengthen UPCI?s Research Programs.